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Pliocene oceanic seaways and global climate
Cyrus Karas1,2,3,4, Dirk Nürnberg3, André Bahr5
1Goethe-University Frankfurt, Altenhoeferallee 1, 60438, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
Scientific Reports
|January 6, 2017
Summary
Ocean gateway changes in the Pliocene influenced global climate. The closure of the Central American Seaway strengthened Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC), while later Indonesian Seaway constriction may have contributed to global cooling.
Area of Science:
- Paleoceanography
- Climate Science
- Neogene Geology
Background:
- Late Neogene tectonic activity reshaped oceanic seaways, significantly impacting global and regional climates.
- The constriction of the Central American Seaway around 4.8-4 million years ago is hypothesized to have strengthened the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC).
- The Indonesian Seaway's constriction between 4-3 million years ago may have influenced regional climate and accelerated Northern Hemisphere glaciation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To reconstruct gateway-related changes in the AMOC by analyzing Pliocene Atlantic interhemispheric sea surface temperature and salinity gradients.
- To combine paleoceanographic proxies with carbon isotope records to understand AMOC dynamics during the Pliocene.
- To evaluate the impact of oceanic seaway evolution on ocean circulation and global climate patterns.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of foraminiferal Mg/Ca and stable oxygen isotopes (δ18O) to determine sea surface temperature and salinity gradients.
- Integration of a benthic stable carbon isotope (δ13C) record from the North Atlantic Deep Water's southern extent.
- Comparison of paleoceanographic reconstructions with climate model simulations.
Main Results:
- An early reduction in AMOC at ~5.3 million years ago was followed by a strengthened AMOC, consistent with model simulations of Central American Seaway closure.
- Evidence suggests a weakened AMOC between ~3.8-3 million years ago, correlating with a global cooling trend.
- The constriction of the Indonesian Seaway may have contributed to the observed AMOC weakening and global cooling.
Conclusions:
- Pliocene oceanic gateway changes, particularly the closure of the Central American Seaway, played a crucial role in modulating AMOC strength and global climate.
- The study provides empirical evidence supporting model simulations of seaway impacts on ocean circulation.
- The interplay between tectonic gateways and ocean circulation highlights their importance in long-term climate regulation.
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